Fiorina Says Boxer 'Too Extreme' for California

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three-term U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer is "too extreme for California," said Carly Fiorina, the wealthy businesswoman challenging the Democratic incumbent in one of the most liberal U.S. states.

"She is an extreme liberal, she is hyper-partisan," Fiorina said Sunday of Boxer, an ally of U.S. President Barack Obama, who is to campaign for her and other Democrats this week in California. Fiorina is a former CEO of Hewlett-Packard.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Friday showed Boxer leading Fiorina by only 1 point, 46 percent to 45 percent, down from a 4-point advantage early this month.

Fiorina told "Fox News Sunday" that swing voters in the California, the most populous U.S. state, would turn the race her way before Nov. 2 midterm elections, in which 37 of 100 Senate seats and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for grabs.

"Remember that California has about 25 percent of its electorate that's considered swing voters," said Fiorina, referring to independents who vote across party lines. "These are the people ... that are going to make the difference in this election."

Fiorina avoided repeated questions on how Republicans would pay for the estimated $4 trillion cost of extending a tax cut from the era of former President George W. Bush for couples making more than $250,000 a year, which Democrats oppose.

"Those tax cuts are essential to growing the economy," Fiorina said, adding that further tax cuts on business were also needed. "When our R&D (research and development) tax credit is 17th in the world when it should be No. 1, we are increasingly uncompetitive." (Writing by Todd Eastham; editing by Doina Chiacu)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three-term U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer is too extreme for California, said Carly Fiorina, the wealthy businesswoman challenging the Democratic incumbent in one of the most liberal U.S. states. She is an extreme liberal, she is hyper-partisan, ...